Argentina to boost ties with Arab

Argentine Agriculture Minister Norberto Yauhar met with diplomats from Arab nations on Wednesday, in an effort to boost agri-business ties with their economies, the Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement. "Argentina has a lot of cultural and trade exchange with the Arab world and we are making progress in developing our ties in trade, as well as in science, technology and education exchange," Yauhar was quoted as saying. "It is important to strengthen South-South agreement in a world that has changed," he added. "Both agriculture and livestock are very important for Arab countries and that allows us to have a key to that market." Envoys from Lebanon, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Lybia, as well as the Arab League, attended the meeting. Yauhar noted that weeks ago, President Cristina Fernandez announced the building of a poultry plant in the eastern province of Entre Rios to produce chicken products for export to Arab countries. The plant is already in contact with businessmen from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to which the first exports will be sent. In February, Yauhar visited the UAE to meet with officials and businessmen to make progress in strengthening Argentina's exports to the Arab country.